Two civilians wounded in bomb explosion near Baghdad market

Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – Two civilians were wounded Friday as a bomb exploded near a popular market in southeastern Baghdad, a security source was quoted as saying.

Speaking to Alghad Press, the source said, “A bomb placed by unknown people in al-Mada’in district in southeastern Baghdad went off, leaving two civilians wounded.”

“A security force cordoned off the blast site and carried the wounded to a nearby hospital for treatment,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, pointed out.

The Iraqi capital has seen almost daily bombings and armed attacks against security members, paramilitary troops and civilians since the Iraqi government launched a wide-scale campaign to retake Islamic State-occupied areas in 2016. Though most of the daily bombings go without a claim of responsibility, Islamic State has declared it had been behind many.

Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

The surge in violence between armed groups and government forces has resulted in over 3 million internally displaced persons across Iraq and left more than 11 million in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.